St. Paul daily globe., 1887-10-30
DRAMATIC DRIFT.

! attractions as well as good business for the
companies. Sol SMITH RUSSELL played at
1 the Grand the first half of the week, and
Mime. MoDJEsKA the last half, both of them
, playing to good houses.
*x*
This week our play -goers will be treated
with the first run of opera for the season by
the EMMA ABBorT Opera company. The fol-
lowing is Miss ABBorT's repertoire for her St.
Paul engagement: Monday, "Ruy Bias or
the Queen and the Lackey;' Tuesday. Tro-
vatore;" Wednesday matinee, "Chimes of
Normandy" Wednesday night, bohemian
Girl" Thursday, Carnival of Venice" dur
ing which Miss ABBOTT will introduce the
celebrated lullaby song from ''Erminie;" Fri
day, ''Faust." Saturday matinee perform
ance not yet announced. the engagement to
close Saturday night with 'Mikado."
**
In these days when new operas are such
rarity, it is source of qualification to know
that Miss ABBOTT has added to her roper
tolre one opera whose music, at least, is new
to American ears. During her visit in
Europe last summer Miss ABBOTT secured
the right to produce in this country
MoRCHETTfs charming opera, ''Ruy Bias"
founded on VICTOR HUGo's romance of that
name. The opera has had great run in
London, and in Italy there were over 200
different theaters at one time performing
this work. Music lovers and the dilettanti
speak well of the character of the music,
which is said to be highly dramatic, yet, at
the same time, full of melody and tender
ness. Those who have heard it say that
there are many passages to remind one of
MEYERBEER's "Huguenots.'
80
The first act of "Ruy Bias" opens with the
air 81, an Exile" for Don Sallust, who has
Just been condemned to Punishment through
the influence of the queen of Spain. AS the
air closes Ruy Bias appears stands for q mo-
ment gazing fondly on the portrait of the
queen, then breaks into ripping melody of
alteration which Don Sallust overhears.
Then follows spirited duet, in which Don
Sallust draws Ruy Bias into his plot The
next scene is the garden of the royal palace,
where the queen appears in lamentation
over the lonely life led by her in the palace,
followed by a,joyous burst of reminiscence
as she dWells on the happiness Of her life in
her native Germany. The second act opens
with the chorus of the noblemen assembled
III council. Ruy Bias enters and denounces
them. AS the noblemen retire the queen
enters, and here occurs the love duet which
Is the gem OF the opera 1t is suggested in the
overture, and the motive occurs repeatedly
Ill different keys and taken up by different
instruments. 1t is dreamy and expressive
duet tinged with pathos that foreshadows
the tropic climax. In the last act there is
fine air for Ruy Bias, beautiful lyric lament
for the dream that is past The final scene
is where Ruy Bias dies in the queens arms
after having killed Don Sallust. Miss AB-
BoTT sings the part of Maria Theresa, queen
of Spain, and Sig. MoNTEGRIFFo sings
| the part of "Ruy Bias The remainder of
the company is cast as follows: ''Casilda,"
LIZZIE ANNANDALE; Duchess Giovanna,"
BERTHA FRICKE; Don Sallust, WILLIAM RU-
ETTE; Don Fernando, WALTER ALLEN; Don
Guintano, WILLIAM BRoDERICK; Don Manuel,
THEODORE BRYANT; Messenger, ROBERT
BEAUMONT. Miss ABBOTT claims to have the
/ richest and most elaborate costuming in this
opera that has ever been seen on an Ameri-
can stage.
There seems to be no limit to the projected
plans for building new opera houses in st.
Paul without any positive indications of ma
ter1allz, ton. The latest rumor is that ED
DAVIDsC Y. son and heir of the late COmmo-
dore DAVIDSON, is at the head of syndicate
which proposes to erect new dramatic tenn
pie On scale of magnifcence away beyond
anything that has yet been contemplated,
1t is said that the site of the Exposition build.
ing on Fourth street, between Wabasha and
st. Peter, is to be the location of the new DA-
yIDsoN theater. The old Exposition building
is to be torn away and new building to be
erected Ill its place, to be eight or ten stories
high, with the theater on the ground floor.
1t is known that there have been some re-
cent conferences between those who are
toI
the details of this new theater deal are kept
close secret.
speaking of building new theaters," re-
marked CHARLES PALMER, manager of the
EMMA ABBOTT company, the other afternoon,
as he bit off the end of cigar and dropped
into an easy chair for a comfortable and
gossipy chat ON theater matters in general,
''if everybody saw as much of the outcome
of theater building as I have seen there
wouldn't be so many new theater crazes
sweeping over the country Let me see.
Co mmencing with New York and going
through Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washing
ton, Pittsburg, Cincinnati, Louisville, New
Orleans, st. Louis, Chicago, Omaha, Kansas
City, the Twin Cities of the Northwest, Den
yer, and even out to San Francisco, I can
count on the fingers of one hand all the
eASoeSAS thoe AesfO SfCh puio
the stockholders, while the wrecks of
bursted theater companies strew the whole
line of travel. Star actors and prima donnas
usually make money and some of them big
piles of it, but the owners of theater build
1ngs and the managers of theatrical COM
panies never do. 1 have been a theatrical
manager myself for twenty-five years, and
ought to know what 1 am talking about
%w
Now that Mrs. JAMES BROWN POTTER is
really making money by her professional
work, Mr.. POTTER is said to be better recon
ciled than formerly to his wife's going on the
stage. He gave her a most cordial greeting
when she reached New York, and now mani
tests great deal of interest in the prospect
of her dramatic success. Mrs POTTER brought
home with her jewel of a wardrobe, which
is said to be the envy of all the stage women.
WORTH cudgeled" his brain to produce
some marvel Of artistic beauty in the
way of costuming the distinguished de-
|. butante. For "Faustine'' there is a
beautiful evening gown of yellow
prulle de sole, trimmed with jet; the pervad-
+ ing tone is of yellow and heliotrope, and ON
the bodice, which is decollete, she wears a
| bunch of pink roses. For 1.-THE Lady of Ly-
ons' there is magnificent gown of white
h satin. embroidered in spangles of different
| colers, with sweeping court train of Nile
green velvet. A visiting dress is of gray
| green trimmed with costly furs. street
! dress has front of rose pink, with an over
& dress of silver gauze and princess train of
4 rich black velvet embroidered with hundreds
of shining black stars. There are other street
| dresses and tea gowns of varied hue and
richness which make the mouth water to
look at.
~
Madame MODJEsKA Is the most modest and
unpretentious Of all the stage celebrities
She doesn't even have her name printed in
large black letters on the programmes, as